#they're 3 hours ahead which means i can watch it while eating dinner

[astonmartingf]

no one informed me that it's already a race week...

[thiswasinevitableid]

Okay well then!!!! I am very glad and excited to share my most recent idea I had while rereading Yeti Hunting again!! And the new Incubus one too!! They're almost exactly the same idea, just different flavors I suppose. Also Joe is trans in both the ideas but that's less to do with the ideas themself and more to do with just me projecting on him sgfjgsjfhsjdh

Okay so it's like a reverse au so Stern is some kind of cryptid, but as far as Barclay knows they're just two good human friends (but maybe they wanna be a little more than friends...). And then one day Joseph goes into heat and tells Barclay he's sick to try to keep him away, but Barclay being the sweetest man alive goes to his house with fresh soup to take care of him and Joe seems really panicked about Bar being there and tries to make him leave but he is CLEARLY unwell and Barclay is very stubborn when it comes to helping people he cares about and so he plants himself down on the couch and says he's not leaving until Joe tells him what's wrong and Stern tries to hold onto his human form but it's taking too much focus and energy and whoops Barclay finds out his friend not human and currently in distress and so horny it hurts and if he can help his friend and fuck him at the same time, well then that's just a win all around (bonus points if at the end Barclay is kinda sad because he thinks Joe just needed somone to fuck him, not nessacarry Barclay, but Joe frantically assures him that he is SUPER into him and if it were anyone else he would have kicked them the hell out and probably skipped town bc he couldn't trust anyone else with a secret like this).

Or!! (This is where the incubus part comes in) Joe is an incubus and currently hiding out in his human disguise at the Amnesty lodge and it's going fine for a while, but then he starts talking to and getting to know the really hot chef. And they slowly start growing closer and closer. And maybe in this world, the power an Incubus gets from sex depends just as much on their desires as it does the human's. And this has never been an issue for Stern before, but now he's falling for Barclay and wants him and no one else so he's getting less and less energy from his encounters and Barclay is worried about him because he doesn't seem like himself anymore. Almost as if he's... dulled? When Barclay looks at him the blue of his eyes seem muted and his general aura seems... gray. And it all comes to ahead when Joe finally stops insisting he's fine and after dinner one night he asks if he can speak to Barclay privately, and he comes clean about everything and Barclay, while a little shocked, rolls with it very well and cups Joe's face in his hands and kisses him softly and it like,,, you should have come to me sooner, I'd do anything for you,,, and yeah it's really tender,,,,

Okay that's it I'm sorry it's so long and probably incoherent. I tried to use at least little formatting to make it better but it's a tumblr mobile ask, I'm not sure even the new paragraphs will translate over. The general idea is that they're close friends and Stern is Not Human and Barclay finds out under less than ideal circumstances :3 I know these are far from original or unique but I just wanted to share my ideas with you bc you're the inspiration for a good 70% of my private writings, but if you like them enough and ever feel like doing something with them that'd be cool ;3

Here you go! I went with scenario one. Content Note: some “mating” talk and mild subdrop at the end (which is, of course, taken care of)

The two canvas bags are ready to burst. Barclay peers into them, contemplating the addition of another box of tea, in case Joseph doesn’t like the other two. Mama was cagey when he asked, he doesn’t know what’s ailing the other man, only that he’s sick. 

Joseph manages Amnesty Lodge, where Barclays’ been a cook for the last six months. Barclay was initially wary of him; his cosmopolitan bearing and clean-cut appearance is so out of place in the rustic mountain town of Kepler that the logical explanation is he’s one of those city types who fell on hard times and got stuck here. 

It took less than forty-eight hours for him to prove Barclay wrong. Polite and polished, efficient and stunningly good in a crisis, Joseph handles the day to day chaos of the lodge while Mama, the owner, took care of the big picture stuff. His friendly greetings and consistent compliments about Barclays cooking gradually turned to afternoons spent at a table with his work so they could talk during lulls in business. 

When Joseph leaned against the counter, sleeves rolled up, laughing as he helped Barclay tidy the kitchen, the cook rushed headlong into his crush and never looked back. He regularly dreams of blue eyes and a movie-star face, finds his day doesn’t really start until Joseph pokes his head in to say good morning. 

He’s been without that greeting for two days now. Joseph never misses work, and his sudden absence worried Barclay enough that he checked with Mama to be sure the manager was okay.

“Joe’s fine big fella, just under the weather is all.”

The one time Barclay got sick, Joseph brought him tea and soup himself, checked in on him every hour, and--if Barclay’s fever addled brain is to be trusted--fluffed his pillows. It’s the least Barclay can do to drop off snacks and be sure his friend is okay. 

It’s a short drive to cabin Joseph calls home; he used to live at the Lodge, but as it got more crowded, he moved to his own space so those who needed a cheap, safe place to stay could have one. 

His knock on the door is answered by a brisk, “Who is it?”

“Barclay. I, uh, I brought you a get-well gift.”

Joseph opens the door to the cabin and to an entire new universe of fantasies. His normally slicked-back hair falls, relaxed, across his forehead, his loosely tied blue robe shows a tantalizing V of skin, and the dreamy-sleepy expression makes his face even more kissable. 

“Hi.” Joseph takes a step forward, taking the bags and bringing his face achingly close to Barclays’. Then he freezes, reversing into the house, “I, um, it was very sweet of you to bring all this. But you need to go.” He takes another step back, then doubles over with a groan. 

Barclay hurries across the threshold, setting the bags on the floor and steadying him over to the couch.

“Fuck, do you need me to get you like a heat pack, or a puke bucket?”

“No, no I just need to lay down, and for you to g-” he shudders, curling in on himself and tipping sideways. 

“Joseph, you’re really sick, I’m not gonna just leave you here. I mean, fuck, what if it’s your appendix or something?” He sits down next to the shaking man, rubbing his back comfortingly. 

“It’s not, I promise. Oh lord” he whines, looks at Barclay with frantic eyes, “I hope you can keep a secret.”

“Of course I can. Whatever I can do to help, I want to.” 

“Careful with those promises, big guy.” The nickname comes out in a growl as Joseph stands, undoing his wristwatch. 

“Oh FUCK!” Barclay scrambles back, almost falling over the arm of the couch.

There’s a monster where Joseph just was. Years ago Barclay saw a Maned Wolf in a zoo, and he’d swear that’s what he’s looking at now were it not for several glaring issues. First, it’s standing comfortably on two legs. It’s paws are more like hands, able to hold the watch and adjust the collar of its shirt. And he’s never seen a wolf, maned or otherwise, with spines down its back and a whip-like tail.

The creature runs a clawed hand through the fur at the top of it’s head, the way Joseph does when he’s nervous,  “So. I can’t tell you everything, at least not right now. What I can tell you is that this is the form I was born into, somewhere far away from earth.”

“Okay.” Barclays brain grinds like a broken ice machine as a familiar voice speaks to him from a fanged mouth. 

“I, um, I’m what humans call a Chupacabra. To answer the usual questions: no, I’ve never been to Puerto Rico. No, I don’t eat goats. And no, I’m not going to eat you.”

“Okay.” His heart is still racing, but not from fear, which is the most confusing was this could have gone.

Pointed ears flick, worried, “Are you in shock?”

“Kinda, yeah.” He nods as Joseph sits next to him with a heavy sigh. 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t want you to find out this way. I took the next few days off to avoid this exact scenario. I figured I wouldn’t see you, but forgot how thoughtful and caring you are.” Claws gently stroke Barclays hair, “my wonderful Barclay.”

He’s about to bring his hand up, cup those strange fingers to his cheek and whisper “always”, when Joseph pulls away. 

“I, I’m sorry. Again. I always get too handsy when I’m in heat. That’s the second worst side-effect, after the fact that being in my disguise is untenable when I’m in the thick of it. It’s like wearing a wet, wool sweater made of nausea.”

“....Hold on, you had to take time off work because you’re horny?” 

“Almost. Heat doesn’t come that often for me, which means whenever it happens, it’s intense. I have a hard time eating or sleeping, I can’t focus, and I spend most of the week masturbating. Which is not as fun as it sounds; I’m not even at the height of the damn thing and last night I humped a pillow on the kitchen floor while dinner reheated.”

Barclay groans, tries to hide it when the ears swivel his way, “Uh, guess I’m glad I brought you lots of food so you remember to eat. Shoulda, uh, put some lube or something in there as well, huh?” 

Joseph chuckles, “My nose tells me you put molasses cookies in there, so I’ll let it slide.”

“There anything else I can do to help?”

“Well…” he shakes his head, “never mind, I can’t ask you to do that.”

“Do what?”

“My heat is more manageable when I have a partner. Fucking someone relieves things more effectively than masturbation does. But I can’t-”

“I can help with that.” The offer is out before his brain catches up with his mouth. 

“Barclay, my kind have a very, um, involved mode of, um, well, I guess you foreplay. As, as much as I’d love for you to be my mate” he winces, “see, that’s what I mean. I say things like that, most of them not even possible given the fact you and I can’t reproduce.” 

“Uh, does it help if I say hearing you call me that is really hot?”

Blue eyes widen, and a tail traces up Barclays leg, “Only if you mean it.”

“I do.”

A narrow, long tongue flicks into the air, “In that case, big guy, how about we have a little planning session over dinner?”

-------------------------------------------------

Barclay parks in the driveway, next to Josephs’ sedan. He heads past the house and down a short slope to a creek, the twilight sky casting the forest in eerie grey-blue. There’s a tire swing leftover from a previous resident, and he idly pushes it back and forth as he waits for the game to start. 

“It’s like hide and seek” Joseph wipes his mouth, cleans cookie crumbs from the table, “We start outside, move inside, and you go as long as you can without me catching you. After all, I want a mate who can hold his own.”

He stuffs his hands in his jacket pocket to warm them. A yip bounces out from the trees behind him. When he turns, he quickly spots glinting eyes and bared fangs hidden in the undergrowth. 

Sprinting towards the cabin, he realizes Joseph laid a trap for him from the start; by asking him to begin at the creek, he’s forcing him to run uphill to safety, slowing him down. He lets his lizard-brain, concerned only with the fact that something dangerous is chasing him, take over and drive his legs as fast as they’ll go. The back door is locked, he double-checked that on the way down, so he doesn’t waste his time trying it, races to the front of the cabin and slams the door shut just as something huge rounds the corner after him. 

The nob jiggles, his pursuer testing the lock and discovering the thrown deadbolt. Barclay uses those few seconds to secure the windows on the first floor, throws his jacket down into the cellar as a failsafe, and bolts up to the bedroom. His hammering heart insists that locking that door is not enough, so he crawls into the closet and shuts himself up among the meticulously organized shirts and slacks. It’s not enough space for him to stand, so he tucks his knees to his chest and waits. 

“What happens if I, like, completely outsmart you.”

A toothy smile, “I wouldn’t worry about that if I were you.”

Each of the downstairs windows rattle in turn. Then the scratching starts, claws on wood coming closer with each breath. Joseph is climbing the wall up to the bedroom window that Barclay knows for a motherfucking fact he did not secure. 

A shuff as the window slides open, the cryptid landing with remarkable stealth on the bedroom floor. Barclay tracks him by the light coming under the closet door, his mouth covered so his breathing won’t give him away. The shadow pauses, sniffs, and then the bedroom door opens and shuts. Barclay’s not moving until he hears the front door do the same. 

Just as his legs start to protest being smushed up against his chest, the door reopens. Snuffling signals Joseph closing in, and an instant later the only light coming in is from the far ends of the door. Slowly, his last line of defense rolls to the right, revealing the creature crouching on the other side.

“Not a bad effort, big guy. You actually confused me for a minute with the scent trail of your coat downstairs.” Joseph reaches for him and Barclay, remembering that he’s not supposed to give up until he’s pinned, leans away. 

“That’s how my mate wants to play?”

“J-just following your instructions, babe.”

An intrigued purr, “I guess you are. All the more reason you’re the perfect partner for me.”

The words Barclays dreamed of hearing for months distract from the claws closing around his ankles. He lets out an undignified yelp when Joseph pulls his legs straight out and drags him out of the closet. Once he’s free of the forest of clothing, the cryptid picks him up and drops him on the bed. He moans and Joseph snickers, joining him on the bedspread. 

“Fuck, Joseph, no one’s ever been able to do that before and it’s so, so fucking hot.” He arches his back and shifts his limbs to help Joseph undress him.

“It’s because you’re the perfect size; big and strong, large enough to give me a decent cuddle when I’m human, but still small enough to be an easily subdued mate.” He gets the humans’ jeans and boxers off, hesitates, and then tosses them on the floor with a pained expression, “I’ll fold those later.”

“Gonna hold you to that. Also, wanna point out that it wasn’t that easy to subdue me.”

Joseph nuzzles his cheek, claws caressing his thighs, “Barclay, I was jogging while you were sprinting.”

“You coulda caught me right awaAAy ohwhatthefuck.” Tingling heat glides down his throat as Joseph licks a stripe along the skin, “fuck, it, it feels like the time I tried hot wax.”

The cryptid sits up slightly to look at him, “Is that a...good thing?”

“Fuck yeah. I really fucking liked it but it was fucking murder with the chest hair.”

Joseph runs his claws through the hair in question, “I like it.”

“I know, I saw you eyeing me that one time I used the springs at the lodge.”

“You can’t prove anything.” Joseph leans back down, curling his tongue around Barclays left nipple. The sensation makes him buck his hips, which Joseph correctly takes as a signal for more. He moves to the other side, takes his time teasing it and licking down the sensitive center of Barclays chest. Noses his stomach, nips his sides, and slides the alien heat of his tongue into the crease of his thighs. 

“Y’know I, ohfuck, I assumed from all that talk yesterday you’d get right to fucking me.”

Joseph kisses the inside of one thigh, “I, um, I thought about it, almost ripped your jeans to shreds and took you on the floor. But I wanted to be sure you were turned on. You’re not just a warm body, Barclay. You’re my mate. That means your pleasure matters as much as mine.” He licks up Barclays’ cock, hardened from rubbing against the soft fur of his belly, and sighs, “and what a mate.”

“Fuck” he squeezes his eyes closed because if we watches that mouth saying everything he wants to hear in between sucking his dick, he’ll cum in ten seconds flat. 

A final lick to the tip and then Joseph hops off the bed, “Did you prep the way I told you?”

“Uhhuh.” 

“Good.” Joseph returns, sets several items he can’t see by his feet, “that’ll make things easier. First things first” he produces a cock cage, sliding it into place, “these are a few things I smuggled over from my original home. This is enchanted, so it can go on an erect cock but still prevent the wearer from cumming until it’s removed.”

“That’s just cruel, babe.” He sits up on his elbows to kiss Josephs snout, earning him a pleased yip. 

“If you cum too fast, I won’t be able to properly breed you.” He winces again, “sorry, I sound like one of Indrids romance novels.”

“Again, gorgeous, I find it really fucking hot.”

The spines on Joseph’s back ripple, “You think I’m gorgeous? Like this?”

“I do. Also kinda scary, but in a hot way.” Now it’s his turn to cringe, “see? I sound like cheap porn written by an eighth grader when I’m horny. The way you sound is fine.”

Joseph lovebites his ear, then retrieves the other two items from the end of the bed. 

“And how does this look, big guy?”

“Like it’s either going to kill me or make me cum like a dozen times.” He furrows his brow at the strap-on. It’s narrower than the average human dick, with a pointed, slightly up-curved tip. What’s worrying him are the spikes. 

The entire shaft is coated in short protrusions. They don’t end in points, thank god, but if they’re at all stiff this is going to be miserable. 

“Here” Joseph waves him over, “touch it.” He guides his fingers along one side and the spines bend fluidly under his touch, and now all he wants to know is how they feel inside him. Joseph also moans, bucking his hips so the toy slides along Barclays palm.

“It’s, ohlord, also enchanted so that the wearer feels it as an extension of their body and can cum with it. Also, please decide in the next thirty seconds whether you want to be on your back or your stomach.” Amber pre-cum drips down Barclay’s fingers. 

“Stomach is better for meWHOAH, ohfuck, okay we’re doing this.” Now flipped on his belly, he raises his ass. The cryptid kneads it appreciatively before holding it open and sliding his cock in with once, graceful thrust. 

He bottoms out with a groan, which is more articulate than Barclay is managing to be as the spines rub and glide inside him, finding every patch of nerves, every angle to drag against in just the right way. Joseph hauls him onto his knees and then he’s off, growls and yips filling the as he fucks him. Barclay only just registers the bed banging into the wall so forcefully the headboard is cracking when claws sink into his hips and Joseph pulls him all the way onto his cock and pulses into him. 

“Holy fuck that was fast.”

“I, I didn’t jack off once today. Didn’t want to waste it, wanted to save it all for my perfect mate.” He’s thrusting again, not as hard but twice as fast, “shit, you feel so good, big guy, please tell me Mama okayed your time off for tomorrow.”

“Wh-why are we talkingAHnnn, about this now?”

Hot breath tickles his ear, “Because now that I know what’s like to cum in you, I don’t plan on cumming anywhere else for the next day and a half.”

“Ohfuckme” Barclay groans happily into the pillows as Joseph empties into him, cries out when his tail whips across his calf.

“Shit, did that hurt?”

“No, no it felt good, fucking-A babe every fucking part of you is amazing.”

The cryptid whines, pleased, and wiggles his hips, giving Barclay an idea. 

“That’s, uh, that’s why I want you for my mate, because you’re so fucking goo-mmph” his face presses harder into the pillows as Joseph pins his shoulders down and fucks into him, snarling “yes” over and over again. When he finishes this time he hunches over, nipping Barclay’ shoulders and neck. 

“You catch on quick, big guy.”

“Thanks, babe. Uh, are we gonna switch it up at any point or am I staying like this until tomorrow night?”

“No, we can fuck however we want. After” a fuzzy hand rubs circles on Barclay’s abdomen, “I’ve cum in you enough times that I can feel it from out here.”

Barclay moans, tightening around him as his hips snap once more, already imagining being full and fucked out. Maybe it’ll take all night. He’ll be limp if it does, but right now nothing sounds better than melting into the bed while Joseph fucks his ass like it belongs to him. 

After forty-five minutes, his cock is aching, his mind holds only thoughts of how good it feels to do as Joseph tells him, and he’s been cum in so many times that wet, obscene sounds accompany the cryptids thrusts. Said sounds pale in comparison to Josephs’ voice, which is spinning increasingly impossible scenarios the longer they’re in bed. 

“I hope they take after you.” Joseph murmurs. 

Barclay just manages to turn his head, “Who?”

A muzzle playfully nudges his cheek, “Our kids.”

His heart seizes and shakes at the words; they both know that’s not what will happen. Joseph warned him he might say things like this, said he could tell him to knock it off if need be. 

“Maybe they’ll, ahnn, they’ll have big, beautiful brown eyes and bigger hearts, just like you.”

He doesn’t want him to stop. Every thrust hits deeper, every point where their skin meets buzzes brighter when he talks like this.

“H-hope at least one looks like you, blue eyes.”

A guttural whine, tingling heat as Joseph laps tenderly at the back of his neck, “We’ll just have to see, usually we’re born in threes so, soOH, oh I’m close, shitshit” 

“That’s it babe, fill me up, c’mon, c’mon I want it so bad, Joseph, baby, please.” 

There’s a howltrill as cum spurts into him, Joseph panting as he smooths his hand around Barclays side.

“There, that’s done it.”

Barclay whimpers as he pulls out, his mind and body pulled tight, certain that if he doesn’t cum soon he’ll propose marriage instead and that’ll be a fucking disaster. 

Joseph carefully rolls him over and unlocks the cage, “Do you want to cum?”

“More than anything. Oh!” he’s unprepared for Joseph to sink down on his cock, “oh fuck, yeah, wanna cum so bad babe please, I’ll be so good, be such a good mate if you just let me cum in y-fuuuck” A trio of sensations levels him as he climaxes; his vision whites out, his hips jerk more violently than they ever have before, and a line of cum drips down his leg. 

Somewhere far away, Joseph says, “I think we’ve earned a break.”

He nods, body limp as the cryptid climbs off him. Then he’s falling, spinning helplessly down in a pit of realizations. 

Joseph didn’t mean any of those things he said. His friend needed a mate and Barclay, lovesick fool he is, was eager for a chance to play pretend that he didn’t think about what would happen when the game ended. Even if Joseph keeps him here through tomorrow, the next time they meet at the Lodge he’ll act like nothing happened. 

Fuck, Barclay didn’t even get to kiss him during all this, and now he’ll never get the chance, never, nevernever-

“Shit, I should have put a towel or a spare blanket down. Now I’ll have to strip the bed before I can--Barclay? Oh, oh baby, what’s wrong?” A hand pets his face and he turns away from it, refusing to open his eyes. Joseph takes his hand instead, “it’s okay, I’m here, whatever you need I’ll-”

“Don’t. Don’t say that. You can’t give me what I need, it isn’t your fault I, I know I’m not really your partner and I, I…” he sniffles, wipes his palm under his eye. 

“Barclay, look at me please.”

Reluctantly, he opens his eyes just in time to see Joseph dip down and kiss him. It’s awkward, their mouths not made to fit together, but he savors it all the same because it’s Joseph, his Joseph, kissing him like he hoped he would. 

“My heat can make me say some ridiculous things. What it can’t do is make me feel affection where none exists. In fact, the reason I wasn’t able to keep my disguise on yesterday is because being near you meant being near the mate I wanted most in the world. I, um, suspected you might share my feelings, but I didn’t want our first interaction as boyfriend to be me asking if you wanted to spend a day or so with me while I was in a sex haze. But then you offered to help, and I wanted it so badly that I barreled ahead without making sure you understood that this was me declaring my feelings. I’m sorry.”

Barclay climbs into his lap, not caring about the mess he makes in the process. The cryptid laughs, hugs him close.

“I, I shoulda said something sooner too. Not that I regret how we spent our first date.” He kisses Josephs chin.

“Me neither, though I don’t think it quite counts.” He rubs their foreheads together, “can your boyfriend take you out to dinner on Friday?”

Barclay grins, looks into loving, blue eyes, “Yeah, he can.”

[fanficsandmoregalore]

Dog Days - Chapter 2

Summary: You take the stray dogs home and clean them up. Then you search around, hoping to find the rightful owners. But what happens the next day changes EVERYTHING.

You opened the door to your apartment. Ben walked in, tail wagging happily, as if he owned the place, Matt was more anxious and cautiously walked in. You looked down and Kylo was staring into your apartment, he didnt go in though. You kneeled down beside him and he looked at you.

"What's wrong, Kylo?"

He looked at you from the corner of his eye and huffed. Then he turned around and sat in front of your doorway. You assumed he meant he was going to stay and guard your apartment, the thought of it made you giggle so you pat his head and stood up.

"You can guard the fortress from inside, goofball." You joked. Kylo growled a little bit and got up, walked into your apartment and sat by the doorway. You followed him in and closed the door behind you, making sure he saw you lock it. You walked pass Ben who sat on the couch while Matt was walking around your apartment, trying to make a mental map.

"You boys stay out here for a sec. I'll be right back." You said as you walked into your bedroom. After the door closed, Ben rolled onto his back on your couch, getting snug.

"I could get used to this."

Matt stood by the couch, looking around once more.

"Don't. We wont be dogs forever. Someday, somehow, we will figure out how to change back."

"I hope it's soon."

Matt and Ben looked over to Kylo, who had been quiet up until now.

"Oh really? Because the way i see it, you're her favorite so far."

Ben was trying to make Kylo blush but being a dog, he couldn't tell if it worked. But kylo did feel a bit embarrassed by it.

You came out of your room in some comfy pajamas and smiled at the dogs as you walked into the kitchen.

"How about some dinner? You guys look like you're starving." Ben and Matt walked into the kitchen excitedly, kylo of course staying by the door. Ben and Matt pulled chairs out from your dining table and jumped up and sat in them. You didn't think much of it, assuming it was a trick their previous owner had taught them, either way you thought it was both cute and amazing. You made a big dinner, you didn't eat much but made sure you had plenty for the dogs to eat. Kylo eventually got hungry and came over to eat, luckily you thought ahead and made him a plate. After eating, you gave each dog a bath. Ben tried pulling you into the water with him but other than that they were all well-behaved. Matt seemed to appreciate it the most and surprisingly, Kylo didn't fight it.

You were drying off Kylo when you had a sudden realization.

"Oh, you guys probably have an owner, or owners. Tomorrow I'll take you guys into work and see if you have chips or if anyone has reported missing dogs. But until we find your owners, you can stay with me." Kylo listened attentively and seemed to nod in agreement with your plan.

It wasn't too late at night so you and the 3 dogs congregated in your living room to watch movies. Halfway through one, there was a knock at your door. Kylo stood quickly and rushed over to the door but didnt bark, the other 2 couldn't care less.

"Wonder who that could be. Nobody ever visits me this late...or ever." You got up and walked over to the door, patting Kylo's head when you reached him. You unlocked it and opened it slowly, peering out into the hall.

"Did you fill out the proper paperwork to have dogs?"

It was your neighbor, Armitage Hux. He was a ginger haired, obnoxious, by the book kind of guy but seemed like decent enough person that you didn't see him as any sort of threat. You rolled your eyes and chuckled as you opened the door more.

"Well hello to you too, Armitage."

"(Y/n), you know I'm deathly allergic to dogs, right?"

You laughed a bit and Hux blushed as he folded his arms. You looked at him and shook your head.

"No you're not, you just don't like them."

"Same thing. And three of them? Are you that lonely?"

You stopped laughing and kind of glared at his comment which he of course noticed, he tensed under your gaze.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Why have 3 dogs when you can have 1 boyfriend? Come on, (Y/n). It's one date. Some dinner, a movie, you name it."

He kind of whined when he said it and you huffed.

"Hux, i told you, I'm not the type to have a boyfriend. Anyway, i gotta head to bed soon. Goodnight."

You closed the door and heard Hux sigh as he walked away. You looked at the three dogs who were all staring at you, looking as if they were waiting for an explanation.

"That's my neighbor. He's been trying to get me to go out with him since the day i moved in."

You walked over and sat on the couch. Kylo stayed by the door just in case, Ben was quick to jump to your side and Matt sat in the recliner that you had. You smiled at all the dogs.

"Who needs human boys when i have the cutest doggy boys?" You gently grabbed Ben's cheeks and mushed them and rubbed noses with him.

Ben got into your lap and licked your face, making you laugh. Eventually, you had to go to bed. And of course, Ben came to sleep in bed with you. Matt was hesitant but followed as well and laid at the foot of your bed. However, Kylo stayed awake, patrolling around your living room but eventually fell asleep on the couch.

The next morning came and you put all 3 of the dogs on the leashes you kept at home for situations like this. You walked all 3 down the sidewalk and they were calm and made walking to the clinic a breeze . You reached the vet clinic and you walked in. The boys looked around the lobby and you felt comfortable letting them off their leashes. Matt stayed with you while Ben sniffed around and Kylo followed behind you.

"Hello? Anybody home?" You joked.

"(Y/n)? Is that you?!"

Poe poked his head out from the back and saw you. He rushed out to greet you and but halted when he saw the dogs.

"Um...(Y/n), what's going on?"

You blushed and awkwardly scratched your hand, still in bandages.

"You remember the dogs i was telling you about?"

Poe became tense and looked at the 3 dogs before his eyes landed on Kylo.

"And i'm gonna guess that's the one that bit you."

You kneeled down by Kylo, who didn't care for Poe's unapproving look.

"Yes, but he also protected me from some guy who was gonna rob me .... and possibly rape me. So you really should be thanking him."

Poe rolled his eyes and pulled you away a bit.

"(Y/n), what are they doing here? And what are YOU doing here. You know the boss said you aren't supposed to come back until you for sure dont have rabies!"

You chuckled and Poe gave you a confused look.

"I'm actually here as a client."

"Uuuhhhh, what?"

"Can you check them for chips and see if anyone has reported 3 missing dogs?"

Poe rolled his eyes and took your hand in his gently.

"I'll do it for you, sweetheart. No charge. But promise me you will take care of yourself and this hand."

You nodded and looked to the 3 dogs, who had all grouped in front of you and Poe.

"Okay, boys. Go with Poe and he'll take good care of you."

"You talk to them like they're people? Geez, (Y/n), you are something else." Poe teased. You laughed and sat down. The boys followed Poe obediently and after about and hour and a half, they all came out with treats in their mouths. You looked at Poe, hoping he'd have addresses to their homes.

"Nothing. No owners, no shot records, nothing. These dogs only have names on their tags, (Y/n). That's a little strange, don't you think?"

You did find it strange but you questioned Poe further.

"What about missing dog reports?"

Poe shook his head. You found that really strange.

"Maybe someone was trying to get rid of them."

"Why would anyone want to get rid of these sweet boys."

Poe looked at Kylo who glared in response.

"I can think of a few reasons."

You stood, a bit peeved by Poe's comment.

"I'm taking them home. Thanks for everything, Poe."

You sincerely meant thanks but were a bit mad that Poe only seemed to recall Kylo biting you.

Poe told you to be careful and you leashed up the dogs and walked out of the clinic.

You looked around and it was a pretty decent day and you decided to take the boys out for some fun on the town. You smiled at the dogs and they all looked at you with confused looks.

"Let's go to the park."

You had arrived at the nearest dog park and let the 3 off of their leashes, but to your surprise, they didn't seem interested at all. You kneeled down by them.

"What's wrong, guys? It's a dog park. Don't you wanna go play with the other doggies?"

The 3 dogs all looked at each other and then you before they split up and walked around the park. You chuckled and got up to go sit on a bench. Kylo saw you go sit down and went over to join you, jumping onto the bench to sit next to you. You pet him and watched as Matt was frightened by everything around him and Ben was playing tug of war with some boxer dog. You looked at Kylo, he had also been looking out at the other dogs.

"Kylo, don't you wanna go make some friends?"

He only huffed and you laughed at him. He did a sort of bark grumble and it made you think, what was he saying? You looked back to the other 2 dogs.

"I wish i understood you, Kylo."

Kylo's ears perked up and he looked at you. You noticed and smiled at him, petting his head just behind ear.

"You guys always seem to know what I'm saying. It's so cute. I just want to be able to understand what all of you are saying, too."

You laughed at the thought of the dogs talking when suddenly Matt rushed up, whimpering, which brought you from your thoughts and you saw him being followed by a few other dogs. When Matt reached you and hid behind your legs under the bench, and Kylo jumped off the bench in front of you. The dogs following Matt stopped dead in their tracks when they made eye contact with Kylo, and ran off with their legs between their tails. You sat on the grass in front of the bench and coaxed Matt out of hiding. He lunged into your arms and you hugged him tightly. You looked over to Kylo and smiled, reaching out to pet him.

"Youre such a good boy, Kylo."

Kylo leaned into your touch more, wanting more affection, which you happily gave. You decided it was time to take the boys home.

When you reached your apartment, you heard some meowing from the other side of the hall. You looked over your shoulder to see Hux's cat, Millicent. You smiled and unlocked the door to your apartment, opening it to let the dogs in, Millicent took the opportunity to follow them in. This was a common occurrence when Hux was in a rush to get to work, and is actually how you met your neighbor in the first place.

---

"Millicent? Millicent?"

You put down the box that you were unpacking, and went to your door. It was open and you peered out into the hall. A sharp dressed, red-haired man was frantically searching the halls. You watched for a moment but suddenly felt something brush against your leg, you looked down to see an orange cat looking up at you as it leaned against your leg.

"Millicent. Milli-"

"Is this who you're looking for?"

The man turned around and when he made eye contact with you, he felt his face become heated as his breath was being taken away. He swears he had just seen an angel, and in this angel's arms was his beloved cat. He calmly rushed over to you and you handed Millicent over.

"Thank you so much. I was in such a rush to leave for work, she must've snuck out while i wasnt looking. Um, i take it you're the new tennant."

You nodded and pet Millicent as your new neighbor held her.

"Yup, as of today. I work at the clinic and this was the closest place with available apartments."

The man offered you a hand while holding his furbaby with the other.

"My name is Armitage Hux. I live across the hall."

"I'm (Y/n). Nice to meet you."

---

You picked Millicent up in your arms and pulled out your phone. It went to voicemail.

"Hey Armitage, it's (Y/n). Millicent got out again so I'm gonna hold onto her until you get back. Bye."

You put your phone back in your pocket and shut the door with your foot after entering, kissing and petting the purring cat.

You set her down and walked into the kitchen. Millicent followed you and the 3 dogs all watched and inspected the cat.

You smiled at them and pet Millicent again, showing them that she was friendly. You glanced at the dogs again, they still didn't know how to react to the cat. Maybe their previous owners didn't have cats. You thought more about the dogs' previous owners and how cruel it was that someone might want to get rid of these 3 sweethearts, but you also thought that maybe there was someone out there who was worried about them. You took a few pictures of each dog and made a post on your social media pages, showing the dogs and stating that you had found them and would hold onto them until the rightful owners came to get them. You hoped they would be able to return home soon and be with their families.

You spent the rest of the day at home, cleaning up and waiting for someone to call and ask about the dogs but nobody did. The afternoon seemed to sneak up on you and Hux came to retrieve his pet. You locked up for the night and went to bed, the dogs doing just as they did the night before.

It was 3 A.M. and the phone rang. You jolted awake, waking and scaring the dogs. You grabbed your phone and checked it, but the number was unfamiliar, and you answered anyway.

"Hello?"

"The brothers must learn their lessons before they can return to their true forms."

The voice was that of an old woman. You looked at the dogs, confused, and they returned the looks.

"I think you have the wrong number, m'am."

Just as you were about to hang up, the voice spoke again.

"(Y/n)! You must listen. You are the only one who can help them!"

This made you more anxious but you listened.

"The brothers are beast, in the mind and in appearance. You must help them fix the mistakes they have made."

"Lady, i don't know the brothers you are talking about." You tried to explain.

"They will know. They will tell you."

Then then phone hung up.

"What the hell? I must be dreaming."

You pet the dogs and told them it was nothing and you all went back to bed. But that night, you had a strange dream.

3 tall boys were laughing and talking with you but you had never seen them before. 2 of them had long, shaggy, black hair and one had blonde hair and glasses, but they all had similar faces. You felt so safe being with these boys you didn't recognize. It was sunny and warm where you all were. You smiled, enjoying the company of such sweet boys.

You woke up suddenly. You felt your eyes flutter open and slowly all your senses woke up too.

"I'm just saying, if we lived in a town like this, we'd all be getting laid. There are so many hot women in more populated areas."

"You're so gross, Ben!"

You sat up quickly, panic already setting in. You looked around your room. The dogs were missing and there were strangers in your home. You quietly got out of bed and snuck to the door, peering out into the living room.

"I wonder when she's gonna be up. I'm getting kinda hungry."

You looked out but didn't see anyone, this was starting to really freak you out. Where were the dogs? Suddenly you saw Matt jump onto the recliner.

"Be patient. She was nice enough to let us stay here and cook for us out of the kindness of her heart, she's not our nanny."

Your jaw dropped. It WAS the dogs.

"Holy shit."

You covered your mouth immediately. The dogs looked at you and you quickly backed into your room, slamming the door shut and locking it.

"HOLY SHIT!!!"

[redspecialstardust]

Scandal - Oneshot (Freddie Mercury X Fem!Reader)

Requested by: @capan-devereaux

One month after the incident at the Rainbow Theater, you and now Freddie fall victim to bad press; there's gotta be a way to put these rumors to rest...

Genre: Hurt/Comfort

Warnings: language, rumours, unwanted touching, attempted sexual assault (it doesn't go anywhere)

A/N: This fic is a sequel to Always Look After You; read it here. Can be read as OG Freddie or the BoRap version.

Freddie woke to himself facedown in the sheets of his king sized bed; the scent of the fresh bedding filled his nostrils, giving him sort of a gentle waking as he snuggled down into the mattress some more and forced his heavy eyes open to check the bedside clock which read 7:30 am. The time made him groan...for a party animal like himself, it was way too early for him to get up. The bed was warm, and so were the sunrise's rays on his back. You must have opened the curtains before he woke. but tired or not, he didn't want to sleep all day, knowing you two would barely get any alone time.

Choosing that there was no point sleeping in when he didn't have you next to him, the tired singer dragged his ass out of bed and threw on one of his many silk kimono robes. He let you know he was up by letting out a loud yawn on his way down the stairs. Just as he thought, you were sitting at the dining table with a newspaper one hand and a croissant in the other. Upon hearing your boyfriend's unsubtle yawn, you grabbed the coffee pot next to you and poured him a cup, preparing it just the way he liked it. Freddie entered the room still dazed from sleep but woke a bit more upon seeing you. Just like him, you were wearing a robe and had some pretty good bedhead going. The table had a couple of food trays with some eggs, croissants and fruit on them. He crossed the room and kissed the top of your head before sitting next to you.

"Good morning, Darling."

"Morning, Fred. How'd you sleep?"

"Like a drunken barfly, how about you?" He asked, placing some fruit on his plate.

"Eh. Same old same old." You responded. That could only mean that it wasn't very restful. Freddie always worried when you said that. This past month had been tough for you both, and the reason why was plastered all over the front page of the paper. Today's headline read: "Mercury & (L/N): Canoodling Cahoots?" Once again, the media was all over the Rainbow Theater incident and had been ever since that conference where your stalker had appeared at and made an enormous scene. To make things worse, Freddie was being dragged in on it too.

The same day of the conference, he released a photo of the injuries you received from trying to escape the perv's grip. It was a simple Polaroid taken an hour after the attack and displayed your arm with small, but deep scratches where you'd been grabbed. At first it seemed like you were in the clear, but as usual, people were looking for any way to create more gossip. Now all the papers were saying that you and Freddie staged the photo and he was just trying to cover for you since he was your boyfriend.

Oh yeah, and somehow news got out you two were dating. The stress seemed to be eating at you more than anyone a part of Queen. Over time Freddie noticed you were sleeping less and eating like a bird. Even with you being the first one up, he saw the fatigue on your complexion and ridiculously small amount of food on your plate; if you could even call it that...a croissant and a teacup of coffee? That wouldn't satisfy anybody.

"Dear, would you please put at least a couple of eggs on your plate? You're getting slimmer."

"What's wrong with slimming down?" You asked, not even looking up from the paper.

He was very frustrated lately. Sometimes he ended up saying things that were very insensitive.

"You know full well you don't need to lose weight. And for goodness' sake, why do you keep reading the papers? You know they aren't going to say anything nice. You're starting to look like a creature Edgar Allen Poe created!"

You threw the paper down on the table, frustrated that another fight about the headlines was starting up again. On and off for the past four weeks, you and Freddie were getting into heated arguments over what the hell you were supposed to do about the situation. You suggested moving a way for a bit, but Freddie said that would only be letting the gossip win.

"I know! I'm sorry! I just...I know they're saying bad things, but I can't ignore it. It's too much. Freddie, we were supposed to be happy together, not be harrassed by the paparazzi everytime we look at the TV or pick up the paper." By this point, your head fell into your hands and the small sharp pains of forming tears were hurting your eyes.

Oscar and Romeo were under the table the whole time and came to their mama's rescue upon hearing the sniffles. One purred around your ankle while the other gently pawed at your bare foot. Through the watery view of your eyes, you reached down and picked up Oscar, holding him firmly to your chest. The orange tabby purred in response. Freddie sighed; damn it, he went too far again didn't he? The frontman got up from his seat and stood you up, facing him with his gentle brown eyes locked onto yours.

"Come on." You snuggled into his side as his arm locked around your side and led you to the couch in the sitting room. Before even reaching the luxurious couch in front of the TV, you found him sweeping you up into his arms and carrying your frame bridal style. With the utmost care he placed you down on the sofa and sat down nearby, placing your head in his lap. Still sniffling, you looked up at him, muttering a thank you.

"Darling, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean those things, really I didn't. But I'm getting very worried about you. All the stress of these wrongful allegations are eating away at every level of health."

"I'm sorry too, Freddie." Breaking eye contact with him and staring ahead at the power off television screen across the room.

"For what?" He questioned, truly puzzled but his tone remaining calm.

"I've been so selfish. This whole time, I've done nothing but worry about what everyone's saying about me and I didn't stop to think about how hard this had been for you and the band or their families. I mean, maybe I am a selfish bitch like the papers are saying..."

There was a frightening silence between you for like ten seconds. At first it seemed like he silently agreed with you, but without warning, he quickly sat you up, making you gasp a bit and then pulled you onto his lap in a sitting position. The movement had been so swift, you were looking into his eyes for 3 seconds before it clicked what happened.

"Look at me." He firmly commanded. "Are you even hearing yourself? You're letting them get to you. This was not your fault. It never was. Yes, the reporters are saying awful things about me and the boys too, but we can handle it; plus, we know that what you went through was terrifying and we don't blame you for pondering on it so much. (Y/N), we love you...I love you, and we'll get through this, okay?"

You wrapped your arms around his neck and hugged as tightly as possible without strangling him.

"Thank you Freddie. I love you so much."

He kissed your lips this time and suggested that you both just relax for now and watch TV today. Everyone needed a break during a time like this with the rumors practically suffocating Queen while they were trying to work so it seemed like keeping all the prejudice fans waiting for the next album was sufficient punishment for now. Feeling much better you crawled off of Freddie's lap and cuddled against his side, giving him permission to flick the television on. Channel after channel it seemed like there wasn't anything that good on so he handed you to remote to keep clicking while he checked the TV guide. After only two clicks, you paused on the news, displaying yet another distressing headline:

"(Y/N) (L/N): Malice For Mercury?"

This was the worst one yet. The TV displayed a live report, with a journalist standing right outside Garden Lodge's gate, this time the theories had resorted to desperate measures saying that the only reason you claimed this man put his hands on you was to get attention from Freddie and that you were trying to ruin his career for him cheating on you. Cheating on you? Freddie hadn't left your side since you started dating last month. The news then showed video of Freddie walking home with his arm around some mystery woman that nobody recognized.

"BOLLOCKS!" Freddie hollered while jumping to his feet. Normally he would have kept his cool about something like this, but this so called mystery woman on the screen was his little sister, Kashmira. She came by every weekend to have dinner with Freddie and you; it was a very nice time to look forward to and the fact that they were using his sister's face as some shady floozy pissed both of you off beyond belief. Granted, the press didn't know much about Freddie's family because he liked to keep his family life private, but this was a new low. Sensing Freddie's rage beginning to boil, you turned off the TV and had took him gently by the arms.

"Freddie, sweetheart, you're shaking. I need you to calm down."

He looked ready to explode.

"They--they're attacking my blood now!"

"I know! I know honey." You pulled him in for a hug and rubbed his back. "Just please calm down; I don't want your blood getting up more over this, too." He wrapped his arms around you accepting the comfort you provided. You could feel his heart angrily pounding against his chest where the side of your face was resting.

They were really getting to him too and it broke your heart to see him upset because he had been trying his hardest to be strong for you and in between that it's like he forgot it was completely okay to be upset. No matter what either of you tried, you couldn't get away from the chaos of these made up stories. People swarmed you at the studio, they blindsided the guys at their houses, and just now, there were people hanging outside the gate, waiting to aggravate the victims of these rumors even more. By this point they had forced everyone in Queen to go into hiding, and all for ratings.

All day long, you and Freddie spent your time checking all the doors and windows in paranoia; the constant chatter of reporters and the innumerable amount of flashing cameras was extremely distressing, causing you two to finally head upstairs and stay there for the rest of the day and into the night. Things seemed to settle around midnight, and left you and Freddie lounging on the bed together finally getting some quiet time. Lying on your sides, heads resting in your hands, you found it so much easier to talk about all this crap in the peace of each other's space.

"What are we gonna do, Fred? It won't stop."

"It will darling, trust me. We just need to wait this out and they'll get bored."

"We can't just hide until it's over with, we're not living anymore."

He sighed. You were right, but he just didn't know what to do anymore to make it better.

"I wish I could just say what happened and have them believe us." He said. The sweet gesture made you reach your hand across the space between you and stroke his charcoal black hair. The texture was soft to the touch and very soothing under your fingers. Freddie adored the attention and pulled you into his chest where he held you tighter than a child would hold a stuffed animal and muttered into your hair.

"If only they knew that man's true nature. For goodness' sake, they saw it at the conference."

That's when a light went off over your head. An idea came with just that little statement. An idea on how you were going to get your lives back.

"Freddie, you're a genius."

Two days later, every television in England was broadcasting one of its most interesting stories yet: Freddie Mercury and his girlfriend were willing to invite the alleged attacker to Garden Lodge for afternoon tea in an attempt to patch things over and move on with your lives. The day the announcement was made, you and Freddie had braved going outside for the first time in a while and were being interviewed in the inside of a downtown theater. As usual, many questions were being thrown at the both of you about the situation.

"Why the sudden change of heart?"

"Will you be friends with this guy afterwards?"

"Who do you think will apologize first?"

The whole time the questions flew, Freddie protectively kept his hand on yours. He wanted you to know it was all going to be okay, and you knew it was too, since your plan was bound to work if this guy was really as sick as he let on that night. Once in a while when responding to questions you two found yourselves glancing at one another to confirm whether your responses or not would be adequate. Freddie said that the change of heart came from the fatigue of feeling the need to hide and that a friendship with the man was uncertain. As for who would apologize first, it took some pride swallowing, but you managed to push out "I will."

Hours later, countless reporters were once again camped outside the mansion and kept every camera rolling for this groundbreaking story. Your pervert arrived on the dot for tea and used the doorbell on the door's exterior. The bell's ringing echoed through the manor and made you shiver at the idea of him being right outside. This same guy who left scratches on your arm was about to walk into yours and Freddie's home.

"Just breathe, Darling; your plan is gonna work."

"It better." You sighed.

Opening the door, you caught sight of his eyes. They seemed friendly enough, but nevertheless had this darkness lurking behind them.

"Derek, hi! Come on in."

"Thanks." He said, still seeming kind.

You and Freddie shook his hand and led him into one of the nicer sunlit rooms that normally wasn't used for tea unless you were having a guest. Compared to the rest of the rooms, it was a moderate, even small size. In the center of the room sat a coffee table decked with all the proper items to have at tea. A delicate white teapot painted in yellow and white with matching cups were placed properly there along with classic tea cakes and finger sandwiches. Either side of the table ends had a small couch pushed closely enough for anyone to reach over and grab what they needed off the table while sitting. Freddie shared one of the couches with you while Derek sat on the other. It only took staring at him again for a moment before you realized your breathing was becoming a bit laboured from your nerves causing a faster pulse; this was happening? This trash was in the house? But, still trying to be a gracious host, you picked up the pot and began to pour a cup for all three of you. Watching the steam rise from the cup made you wanna remove the lid and splash the hot drink into his face, but it wasn't part of the plan, so best keep it under control. After pouring your cup and sitting beside Freddie once again, he thanked you and everyone began to add what they wanted to the cups: sugar, cream, lemon etc. All three finished at the same time and raised their cups in a cheers like fashion.

"To a fresh start." Freddie grinned.

"To a fresh start." You repeated, trying not to sounding nervous. Derek copied and you sipped in unison. For a few very uncomfortable minutes nobody said anything while enjoying the tea and snacks; you all knew nobody wanted him here, and the tension in this Mexican stalemate caused you to move in and say what you had to.

"Derek, um, I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have attacked you like that; it was wrong to do something so awful to a fan of ours."

Ugh. That one hurt your pride.

"Thank you for that." Derek answered.

Freddie scooter close to you, placing his hand gently on your knee.

"I apologize too Derek. I shouldn't have used you as a punching bag. You see, when I thought that you had put your hands on her, it infuriated me and I was just trying to protect her. I'm sure you would have done the same for someone you care about."

"Well I can't blame you for that." Derek responded, smiling, but offered no apology himself. That's okay, you really didn't expect one. He took another sip of the tea and carefully placed it down. Something was definitely turning in his mind and none of it looked good.

"I'll accept your apology on one condtion: I want a quarter of a million dollars. It's the least you could do for compensation." The absolute balls! He knew none of this would be even happening if he didn't put his hands on you and now he wants a reward for getting his ass kicked? No, no way, you didn't care what happened after this, he wasn't getting a cent off either of you, but this could still work with what you had in mind.

You scoffed, jumping to your feet "I don't think so. We're trying to put this all behind us and then you come and pull this crap asking for money after leaving scratches on me and making our lives miserable? No! No you're not getting any money!"

Derek's face returned to that same vindictive grimace he had when he tried to throw himself at you, and it scared you to death. As he stood up too, Freddie instantly moved to protect you by standing as well and moving you behind him. He wasn't about to let someone punk him in his own house, no way! He didn't take bull.

"Fine. Don't gimme the money, I'll just go out and tell the reporters how much I tried to be friends and now the great Freddie Mercury and his slut are tightfisted with the compensation. You think your lives are bad now? Wait till the news gets ahold of this."

Freddie nearly lunged to attack, but you grabbed his shoulder, holding him back.

"Freddie, no! This isn't worth it. Just give him the money."

"But he--"

"Freddie please! I want our lives back."

It took a minute, but after looking between you and Derek, Freddie saw the fear in your eyes and it broke his heart. You shouldn't have to live in fear this way and he barely deserved you as it is. What the hell, money wasn't nearly as valuable as you. With a moment of his pride swallowed, he said he'd have to go all the way upstairs into the bedroom to get the checkbook. As he disappeared from the room, you gave Derek a bad staredown.

"So what's a perv like you gonna do with all that money?"

He shrugged. "Maybe buy you for the night." Rolling your eyes in disgust you let him know that was never gonna happen because he was an immature child; a man who threw a fit because he wasn't getting what he wanted, and then that's what set it off. He crossed the room getting right in your face.

"Fight all you want baby, I like it when they think they can get rid of me. I should left more than a few scratches on you; had it been just you and me, I would have treated you no differently than the floozies I pick up every Thursday." He grabbed both of your arms again, no not again! As soon as you hit the furniture, he pinned your arms down, to the sides and forced his lips onto yours. You tried to turn your head and struggle hard but he was so strong.

"Get off me!"

"Scream, and I'll kill Mr. Mustache. One way or another, I'm getting what I came for." He began to unzip your jacket but before anything else could happen, a gold flashy force knocked him off you and held him to the carpet. It was Queen's drummer Roger; he'd been hiding in a nearby closet, listening to everything so he could spring into action if anything went too far.

"Stay down, rapist! Did you get that, Deaky?"

To Derek's surprise, John Deacon the bassist popped out from behind a large potted tree in the corner of the room with a large camera in his grip. He signaled a yes, letting you all know they got everything they needed. Video was really all they needed to convict him, but to rub it in his face even more, you reached down your shirt and pulled out a wire, letting him know your bra had been bugged. That's right, you and the boys took two days planning this to catch Derek in the act and it worked perfectly. Almost on cue, Brian and Freddie escorted a group of officers into the room demanding they remove the root of all your problems.

The next day everyone in the band attended yet another conference to discuss everything and it was amazing; all the reporters who'd wrongfully accused you were now practically kissing your ass. There was nothing more satisfying than feeling this huge weight off your shoulders and the whole truth coming to light. Everyone in Queen received a formal apology from everybody and to even let you all know that Derek wasn't going to be even eligible for parole until he was 82. It's ok. By that time, every inmate would make him their girlfriend; no way he'd survive that.

"Freddie, with Derek finally behind bars and the your lives returning to normal, what's the first thing you're gonna do?"

Brian, Roger and John said they were just going to enjoy the peace with their wives an kids for now. They earned it after all, didn't they? As for Freddie, he took you in his arms, dipped your body, and left an enormous kiss on your lips. Upon standing you back in place, he said.

"I'm going to take the love of my life to Munich for a while. As happy as we are that everything is going back to normal, we haven't been able to just relax and laugh with each other since we started dating. Don't worry, the album will still be done on time. But for now, I just want it to be me and her. I love you with all my heart (Y/N) (L/N)."

"I love you too Freddie Mercury. Thank you so much for being there."

"I'll always look after you."

THE END

Thanks for checking this out! Find more from me on the Masterlist

[bnhaworld]

Can you do a scenario where Shoto finds out his s/o is a part time masked vigilante that goes after corrupt heroes to expose them (basically they're a morally correct version of Stain) and then he learns they plan to target Endeavor?

I MADE THIS INTO A FIC BC IT WAS TOO GOOD TO RESIST ;W;

I changed a little bit of the story in which the reader works for a group!! I hope you enjoy it.

The ending is a bit bad but I hope you guys can still enjoy it- -Calamari

Secrets // Shoto Todoroki x Reader

In which Shoto realizes what task lies ahead of you.

Tw: Some mentions of abuse.

Shoto is highly observant. You weren’t the slightest aware of just how much he had noted the disparities in your schedules once you’d moved in together. After dating for nearly three years, two of those out of high school, you had successfully roped him into scoring in apartment for just the two of you. 

The first night, instead of sharing with him the small celebration dinner he had prepared, you had disappeared into the night stating work was calling. He hadn’t questioned it, despite the fact that it was too dark for it to be office hours.

You had come home quickly, after Shoto had given you a vaguely panicked pair of calls. That night, a hero was murdered; and immediately exposed for his drug dealing scheme he had been pulling off on the side. He had been found dead within the comfort of his own apartment, scattered with the remnants of his previous scandalous life style. He had been injected with awful levels of morphine and not a single hint had been found about the suspect

He rushed to your side when you entered and wrapped you in his arms, whispering into your shoulder that he worried for your welfare and he wished you would stay home. You nervously reminded him that your work didn’t quite have a set schedule.

This was his first hint.

On a separate occasion, you received a call at the dead of night. It was your boss telling you that a new hero had moved into your very neighborhood and he needed to be executed tonight. He was going to negotiate with the mafia tonight and it was the perfect story to simultaneously rid of the ‘societal parasite’ and expose his story for what it was. 

It was nearly 3 in the morning, and you were well aware of the consequences that came with denying your boss of his orders. You packed your hidden gear into a large, black sack and began to head for the door when you heard a frigid voice halt you in your rhythm.

“(Y/N)..? Why are you.. leaving?” He drawled out, wiping his eyes of the drowsiness still leaking from his system. You walked over to him, hoping that the very concept of time would simply slip away from him at this time.

“The bossman called. He forgot there was some work we needed done by tomorrow. I’ll be back soon, alright?” You sauntered over to him, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. You felt a faint smile on his lips as he placed his hands around your waist. He pulled away, pressing a singular kiss to your forehead. 

“Goodnight, then. I’ll see you in the morning..” He paused, his smile growing somewhat malicious as he continued. “I’m so glad we live together and we can be honest with one another.” 

As he stepped away from you, you felt your heart being pulled at its strings like a puppet. You didn’t respond to him. You adjusted the strap on your bag and headed out, letting a melancholic sigh find its way to your lips. One day you’d tell him. It simply wasn’t time yet.

As you exited the doorway, Shoto watched from around the corner. He had another clue.

A month passed. One full month with no job, but enough money from the previous few to fall ahead in terms of currency, especially considering the added income from Shoto’s highly successful hero job. The pair of disappearances never slipped his mind, though.

On one night, he asked if you could talk. You obviously agreed- it was frequent he’d need to discuss something with you, but the time for these meetings were always random, but purposeful.

“(Y/N), be honest with me, please.” He was twiddling his thumbs. There was seldom a moment in which you’d catch Shoto in a moment of visible nerves. You were concerned, however, your focus was more on the reason for the discussion. You were sure it was the fault behind his quivering palms.

“Shoto? What’s wrong?” You asked with caution, placing your hand on his. He pulled them away after a brief moment with caution of his own, dual-typed eyes refusing to lock on to yours. You felt your insides recoil at such a small action. He had never so outright rejected your affection. You said nothing, however.

A sudden lump sat firmly in your throat and beads of sweat began to form at the top of your head. Had he figured it out? Your secret job you’d spent years hiding from him?

“You know the vigilante? The one that’s been going after different.. ex-heroes and eliminating them?” He asked, his lidded eyes giving you a scanning glance. You half-nodded. Your anxiety coursed through every inch of you to the point where even words were difficult to formulate. 

“Is.. Is it you? Please, (Y/N), I need to know.” He spoke in soft whispers, as though he was well aware of the answer but was afraid to listen to its contents anyways. 

There was a silence so thick in the air that even the sharpest knife had no means of getting through it without receiving damage of its own. You felt tears strangling you and begging you for the mercy of relief. The lump in your throat hooked on to the edges of your throat and attempted to climb its way passed your lips. All the while, the truth perched itself a top of your tongue, waiting for you to flick it away and ruin your relationship for good.

“I am.” You choked out two words. It was enough for Shoto to simultaneously freeze and burn the table in front of you, leaving a puddle of ashes on the floor. You hadn’t even flinched. You knew exactly how he’d react. 

Shoto said nothing. His blank expression shared all emotions and yet, held every secret possible. He got up and went to his hero office, which was directly in the apartment. You heard the click of the lock, and then there was silence in the air once more.

“I was going to tell you, Shoto,” You spoke softly, and yet, the silence perfectly carried your words to his room. “But there isn’t a right time to say something like this.”

No response. 

“I’m sorry. I will wait for you, Shoto. Please, tell me when you’re ready to speak..”

Hours passed. You were glued upon the seat you had begun the discussion at, drowsiness eating away at your body but your nerves canceled out the sleep you so helplessly desired.

The door creaked open.

Shoto emerged, eyes mildly puffy, but demeanor softer and more open. He said nothing as he assumed his previous seat and cleared his throat.

“(Y/N)..” He began in a faint voice. “I don’t.. mind.. If you do this in your time to sustain our house. I just wished that for one, you’d told me sooner and that you’d warn me before you went out to do that. I want to be prepared, (Y/N). This isn’t easy. It isn’t easy knowing you were behind those deeds, and who knows just how many more like this have happened? Though they are.. corrupt. I understand it.. a little. I just.. I love you, (Y/N). We’re going to figure this out.”

Another year went by with seldom work. Every once in a while, you’d be called off for a job. A hero here, who went down due to his dangerous lust. Another hero gone and exposed for strange addictions. Things were smooth sailing, more or less.

Shoto never directly addressed your line of a work again. You knew, however, that he at least tolerated it to a certain degree. You were grateful for his slight understanding, however, everything changed the night of your latest job.

Endeavor was your latest target.

You received this text in the midst of the afternoon where Shoto was gone off on another shift. 

Boss: Enji Todoroki is guilty as well. He abused his children and his wife and we don’t know what else he has possibly done. It is a high task, I’m aware, however, I am trusting you will do well. 

You stared blankly at the message, panicked tears streaming like a river down your cheeks. A singular tear splat against the screen of your phone, and it felt as though a ticking time bomb had gone off. You burst out into violent tears, clutching the fabric of your shirt and hoping, needing someone to give you any kind of help.

Shoto got home at the moment. 

He found you on your knees, racked heavily with wordless tears that hacked away at your lungs and willed your breathing away. He immediately drops the bag he was carrying and rushes forth to you, wrapping his arms around you. He himself grows panicked. He doesn’t know what to say or do to comfort you because he doesn’t know what had just happened.

His eyes half glance at the phone, however, once he catches sight of his own last name, he recoils and rereads the message. His face flushes of all identifiable emotions. 

He looks back at you. He can’t figure out his emotions at all. He wishes to calm you down and tell you everything will be alright. But he also feels anger boiling in the very pit of his stomach at both you and the man forcing you to undergo this pain. He can’t think of a solution right away. There is too much going on, and he can’t piece together a perfect solution.

“(Y/N).” Is all he can muster. He takes each of your hands in one of his, piercing through your thoughts and hoping he can steal some of your thoughts and add it to the growing equation in his head. He takes one of your hands and presses it to his lips.

“Let’s run away.” He whispers. It is the first thing he can think of. He can’t come up with anything else. It is the only solution that makes sense, and even for him, it’s a little far fetched. 

“What..?” You murmur through dying tears, slowly removing your hand from his to wipe away your remaining tears.

“We both don’t fit in here. You have things. We have money. Let’s just.. go to another country. Together, where no one can find us. We’ll be safe and together..” He is speaking in a tone that makes it feel like he means it. As though he could predict the future.

You weren’t sure what exactly caught your attention throughout the entirety of his words, but you were sure you knew that he had described exactly what you had been wanting without even realizing it was what you had been searching for.

Without another moment, you both pack everything. Within another few hours, you are gone with him. Within days, there are search parties. Within weeks, you are exposed for your deeds. However, throughout years..

You were never found. Neither was Shoto.

[theonlyjourneythatmatters]

So, let me preface this by saying that I did struggle figuring out food choices and how to get my calories in check. I struggled with a lot. But let me start from the beginning! This is going to be long- so buckle in. Also- get it out of your head that this is a "diet". This needs to be treated like a lifestyle change.

PHENTERMINE

I went to the Weight Loss Clinic in D'Iberville and got the Phentermine. It's not cheap by any stretch, but if you're like me and had zero energy or motivation, and you needed that jump start to get you started, it is worth it. The side effects for me have been mild. I barely slept the first week. They advise to take it early. I was taking it around 7:30-8:00 am. However, even though I barely slept, I did not feel exhausted and worn out the next morning- so there's that. It does make you sweat a lot, and if you're not eating enough, you will get shaky.

WATER WATER WATER

Water is a must, especially if you're taking the Phentermine. It can and WILL dehydrate you super quickly. Either buy a gallon of water to keep with you at all times, or invest in one of those large water bottles off of Amazon.

MEAL PREPPING

I did not wait to start eating better. The Dr at the clinic told me to focus on protein more so than anything else. So I did my research to find out what had the most protein in it. The obvious choices are meats- fish (very good for you, plus it has Omega-3 which is essential for heart health), chicken/turkey, and beef. I'm not a big chicken fan, but it is what it is.

Now, I love fruits and vegetables so paring the sides with the protein meals was not difficult for me.

Most vegetables are not very high in protein- they're also not high in calories. Raw, fresh vegetables anyway. A medium cucumber is about 4 calories. FOUR. WHOLE. CALORIES. For one single raw cucumber! Frozen or prepared vegetables are a completely different story. Fruit, on the other hand, can be high in calories- but the serving sizes are pretty decent.

Snacks were a little more tricky because my favorite thing to snack on is chips. And how many calories are in chips? A LOT. Too much for me to be comfortable giving up 1/3 of my caloric intake for the day, that's for sure. So, I opted for chicharrons and veggie straws.

You can absolutely tailor the meals to your liking- just be mindful of the calories and serving sizes.

Now, let's talk about actual meal prepping. Go ahead and get your eye rolling and sighs out of the way now. I felt the same way ya'll did. Meal prepping takes time. It takes planning. And most importantly, it takes dedication. This is a super important step that you do NOT want to skip if you're serious about losing weight.

For me, it helps when I'm at work because it prevents me from having to go to Taco Bell or somewhere to grab a quick lunch. And don't get me wrong- if you want Taco Bell for lunch, go get it. Do not deprive yourself of the things you want- but work it into your calories. Depriving yourself of the things you like is one of the major reasons "diets" fail. But I digress.

I went to Walmart and bought partitioned meal prep containers.

Just simple containers with clear lids. I'm sure you could find those on Amazon as well- but I didn't want to wait. I also went to dollar tree and got the round containers for my fruit.

BREAKFAST

My breakfast was something simple: cottage cheese and fruit. Some days I had the cottage cheese flips (that had fruit in jelly) and other day I just had a yogurt. Now, I got to Biloxi Nutrition and get one of their meal replacement shakes and that keeps me full all the way through lunch. My favorites are: Banana Nut Bread, Banana Pudding, and strawberry cheesecake. All of the shakes are 220-240 calories so they're great if you're trying to stay under- or if you've blown them on other meals, you could get one for lunch or dinner instead of breakfast. I also stopped going to Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks for a coffee in the morning. If I'm going to eat, I'll grab an iced protein coffee from Biloxi Nutrition. Very few calories and it tastes great.

LUNCH

I cooked all the food for 2 weeks' worth of lunch. I bought chicken and tilapia for my proteins, and black beans and squash/zucchini for my sides. The chicken and fish was cooked in the air fryer with no oil. I did season it with salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder, and some Slap Ya Mama! seasoning. I think I may have also put lemon pepper on some of them. I tried to mix up the flavors so I didn't get bored eating them- different flavors meant it felt like a whole new meal.

I also bought some steak medallions and shrimp. I did buy some frozen, premade veggies: broccoli in cheese sauce, a brussels sprout and carrot medley, and some butternut squash spirals.

I bought minute maid brown rice and mixed it with the seasoned black beans. This gave me a little more of a full feeling (carbs make you feel full) and added texture to the beans. Brown rice is better for you than white, but if you prefer white, you do you, boo boo!

The sweet mini peppers are just halved with cream cheese and Everything Bagel Seasoning (I found it at Walmart). Then I just had cut up strawberries and whole blueberries for something sweet. I started eating those with breakfast and that one container lasts me almost all day.

DINNER

Depending on my calorie count for the rest of the day, my dinners vary. This is a spinach wrap stuffed with 2 pieces of turkey bacon, 1/4 of an avocado, spinach, thinly sliced onion and cucumber, Bitten creamy strawberry dressing, and medium heat banana pepper rings. The cucumbers I allowed to sit in red wine vinegar and a little bit of canola oil while I prepared the rest of my dinner. And the peppers are the same as what I do for lunches.

Sometimes I'll have a big salad with a lot of added stuff (sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, lots of veggies, chicken, steak, or shrimp, olives, etc).

SNACKS

I usually eat trail mix, or the 100 calorie pack of nuts. I sometimes pair that with fruit, turkey bites, and/or a stick of colby jack cheese. I also enjoy chicharrons (BBQ is my favorite),

CALORIES

So I know I'm talking a lot about calories. So how do you figure out how many calories something has? Well, for starters, it's on the back of most packing along with the other nutrition information. Duh. But I would assume your question would be more along the lines of "How do I know how many calories are in my meal?" This has a simple answer. Get a calorie counter! There are plenty of free ones that you can use. I use MyNetDiary. Some of the options do want you to use the Premium paid service, but for the last 3 weeks, the free options have worked just fine for me. This app will ask you what your weight goal is, and will set a daily calorie intake for you based on your current weight, your goal weight, and when you want to reach that goal. It will adjust automatically based on your entries.

You can also link smart watches and smart scales to it.

On this app, you can track your calories by meal and snack. You can also track your weight loss, water intake, and goals. What I love about this app is it allows you to scan barcodes of the food you're eating and it automatically inputs the calories and nutritional information. AND it figures out the calories for you, based on how many servings you input. You can find the serving size on the package.

This doesn't work for everything, though. There are some things that you can't scan (restaurants, the drinks I get from Biloxi Nutrition). So with these, you can go online and search the calories or you can ask (Biloxi Nutrition has their values listed on their menu boards).

Portion control is imperative. Especially for calorie counting. It seems crazy that you can have only 3 mini pickles per serving- but pair it with a few almonds and a little bit of cheese and beef jerky and you have a low calorie snack and it's not going to feel like you're cheating yourself.

Log absolutely everything that you eat on the app. You may struggle for the first week but you WILL get it. It takes research and practice, and detailing your menu to the things that you enjoy.

GYM MEMBERSHIP

I got active. I joined the gym, and I actually go and work out. The best part of being active and doing workouts, is that it BURNS calories! What's so great about that? Well, let's say that the calorie app said you need 1500 calories a day to hit your goal weight in the time you allotted. You go to the gym and do a moderate workout on the treadmill or bike (or whatever). You burn 400 calories. Your 1500 limit just went up to 1900. Now, that doesn't mean you have to reach that limit- but you now have more wiggle room to eat something that may be a little higher in calories. The gym I go to has a separate app that you can download and scan the QR code on the machine- it automatically logs it so when I go to enter my exercise on the calorie counter, I can just pull the app up and see my total for the day rather than trying to remember it later on.

I don't get crazy with working out. I DO NOT go every day. The general rule of thumb is 30 minutes of moderate activity per day. Some weeks I go twice, some weeks three times. This also varies based on my schedule. However, when I go, I make sure to spend at least one full hour working out (So if I go twice, that's really 4 days; three times is 6 days, etc). So if you can't make it to the gym every day for 30 minutes, on the days you can go, double your time and do light activity during the days you're unable to go. 30 minutes a day seems like a waste to me- so I make it count when I do go.

One thing you have to remember: muscle weighs more than fat. So while you may see the scale rise in number (if you're focusing on muscle building), you will also see your clothing size shrinking. DO NOT let this discourage you! If you're working out and your clothes are loose but the scale says 5 lbs heavier, you're not failing- you're gaining muscle.

Also, learn to go to the gym by yourself, and be okay with the fact that you may not always have a companion to go with you. Sure, it's nice to have someone along with you- but you're never going to get anywhere in life if you're having to wait on someone to be with you in order to do what you want.

APPLE WATCH AND SMART SCALE

I also started wearing my apple watch every day. This keeps track of my heart rate and my step count (which you can also log on the app- I usually don't unless it's a workout day).

I purchased a smart scale that I can link to my phone. When I weigh myself, it gives me other measurements too. I purchased the RENPHO Body Fat Scale Smart BMI Scale Digital Bathroom Wireless Weight Scale, Body Composition Analyzer with Smartphone App sync with Bluetooth, 396 lbs - Black. It connects to my phone and keeps track of everything in the app. It shows me my BMI, body fat %, water, muscle mass, etc. It shows you how much weight you've lost or gained since your last weigh-in. It also shows how much your BMI has decreased and how much your body fat has decreased. You can set a goal on this app as well- but I haven't.

Another MAJOR thing about a scale- you're going to be tempted to weigh yourself every day to see if you've made progress. DO NOT DO THIS! This is a leading factor in why people fail with "diets". They weigh themselves daily- see no changes (or see the scale go up) and get discouraged. I'd suggest no more than once a week- twice if you must. I try to weigh myself every Saturday (since it was on a Saturday when I started this journey and my initial weight was taken the day before). If I want to see how my week is going, I MAY weigh myself on a Wednesday.

Here are some tips about weighing yourself:

Do not weigh yourself daily

Weigh yourself once a week

Weigh yourself in the morning- you weigh more in the afternoon/evening because you're carrying around everything you've had to eat and drink.

Weigh yourself naked. You'd be surprised how much clothes and shoes actually weigh.

Don't get discouraged by the number on the scale- again, if your clothes are fitting looser, then you're going in the right direction.

Also, please remember- you did not get to the weight you are over night and you're not going to lose it over night. If you're looking for a fast, low-hassle weight loss program, gastric bypass surgery may be more your speed.

WHAT I LEAVE YOU WITH...

If you made it to the bottom of this post, CONGRATULATIONS! I know it was a long read with a lot of information. You may still have questions and concerns- you may still be confused and unsure what your next step is. But the fact that you got to this means you're ready to start.

You've crossed the biggest hurdle, which is understanding that it's not going to always be easy to make the changes you need in order to see the weight loss you want. You're taking the first steps to a healthier, happier you.

If you have any questions or need any help, feel free to reach out to me. I will give advice and suggestions if I am able to help get you on the right path.